For Protection
by Yukann
Summary: Percy decides that nobody else he cared about was going to die, never again. And he would do everything and anything to protect his loved ones. Because all he is and what he lives for is that.
1. Chapter 1

For Protection

Disclaimer: I do not own.

A/N: I… have no idea where this came from. Okay, I do but it's not my fault! I swear! Anyways, I've always wanted to write a Percy-joins-chaos story. The POV (Point of view) changes in the middle of this chapter so yea, don't get too confused. Hope you enjoy~~

C01: 

'Finally, back at camp!' I thought cheerily, the duffel bag I had in my hands landing on the ground on a soft thump. Feeling the refreshing breeze soothingly on my skin, I stood stock still and took deep calming breaths, enjoying calm that permeated the area. Unbidden, a smile grew on my face. No matter what, the sight of my second home never failed to bring my spirits up. 

With a hum, I made my way towards Cabin Three and deposited my stuff, uncaring of the mess I made. The cabin was a mess anyway. Clothes that I hadn't brought home with me last year were strewn across the room, rough papers I'd used for my summer homework (shocking, I know) fell in a huge pile just at the foot of my bed; that's where work of any kind was done.

As I was unpacking, I came across a ring box. It held one of my most precious belongings; the engagement ring I had purchased for Annabeth. We've been dating for a year now and finally, I was ready. Her? Not so much, though the whole camp had been betting on when it was going to happen for months now.

Fingering the velvet box in my pocket, I smiled as I imagined her reaction to this. Was it going to be a smile? Tears of joy? Embarrassment? I couldn't wait to find out. A glance at my watch told me that if I didn't want to be late, I would have to move now.

Annabeth, surprisingly, had asked me to meet her at the beach right after I finished unpacking. She had glared at me with those grey eyes (she was scary even through an IM) and said that I had to be there fifteen minutes after I was done. I didn't know how she'd know I was late considering that I hadn't seen her since I reached (maybe one of her siblings?), but I didn't want to take any chances. Better safe than sorry, especially in this case. 

As soon as I reached the beach, my eyes sought her out. There. She was playing with the water; the light caught her hair and made it shimmer ever so slightly. Her grey eyes were narrowed in contemplation, giving it a stormy look. Her tanned skin only complemented her even more.

I shuffled forward, ready to surprise her, but I stepped on a twig (cliché much?). Her head snapped in my direction and I caught her eye. An assortment of emotions passed through too quickly for me to decipher.

"Percy! You're here!"

A smile was forced on her face. 

"Hey Wise Girl, what's up?" I greeted, walking towards her. 

She cracked a smile at the nickname but her expression turned serious again. Lead started to form at the base of my stomach. 

"Percy... We need to talk." 

My grin faded and I frowned. _I knew._ My heart started to beat faster. 

"Yeah?"

She took a deep breath, as if to steel herself from the oncoming words and stammered out, "Percy... I-I'm breaking up with you." 

My insides turned to ice. 

I laughed weakly, eyes searching her face for any trace of jokey-ness. There wasn't. 

"You're joking."

My eyes stared straight into hers, willing this to be untrue. 

"Percy... I'm sorry but I realised that I-I'm still in love with Luke... I'm sorry I led you on like that but I really thought I love you and-" She abruptly cut off, staring at me, her gaze imploring me to understand. Through the grey eyes, I could see pain, regret and most of all honesty. She was really… 

I tried to grin, but it turned into more of a grimace. "It's okay Annabeth. It's alright. I knew we would end someday, just not now."

_Liar  
_

The box in my pocket felt heavier by the second. _It hurts. _

She looked up at me with teary eyes and smiled, "Thanks Seaweed Brain, for understanding." 

_Please _

Just this one sentence and I couldn't be angry with her.

_Please stop._

I loved her too much. 

_It hurts._

"No prob." 

She turned and walk away, her heart most likely lighter by several tons. Mine wasn't. 

I stood there, just staring listlessly at the horizon, wanting the pain to end. I buried my head in my knees, stubbornly ignoring the tears cascading down my cheeks. I wasn't crying, I wasn't.

_What happened to our promise?_

-0-

I stared unseeingly at the wreckage that was once my home, heart thumping wildly in adrenaline. 

My whole body was numb; as I watched the paramedics pull the two bodies out of the building.

Mom only had enough time to shove me out of the apartment before the whole thing exploded, leaving just a fiery mess behind. All the residents were killed instantly. If only I had been faster, stronger... Then maybe mom wouldn't be lying in the wreckage somewhere, dead. 

A hand landed on my shoulder, startling me out of my thoughts. 

"You okay?" The worried eyes of my best friend Nico, stared at me. 

My voice wouldn't work, but nothing came out. I opened and closed my mouth a few times, unable to form words that could express myself at the moment. 

Finally, I settled on a hoarse, "I'm fine." 

Nico frowned but didn't push, knowing that I wanted to mourn on my own. 

I turned away from the scene, unable to look any longer. It hurt too much. 

"Let's go back to camp." Nico whispered into my ear before shadow traveling both of us.

-0-

I stared at the picture in my hands, sitting on the floor of my cabin. Annabeth, my mum, Paul and I were all happily smiling at the camera. Where had that happiness gone? 

First, it was Annabeth, then, Mom and Paul. Who would be next? Nico? Thalia? Dad? 

For the supposed strongest demigod of the century, I sure couldn't do anything to save my family. What kind of hero am I?

A card swirled to existence onto my bed. I already knew what it was. Resolved, I grabbed a duffel bag and started packing. Hopefully, when I came back, I would be strong enough to protect my friends. (since all my family is gone)

-0-

Nico was worried. 

There weren't many people who _could_ make him worry, but this one did, very much so.

"Dammit Perce! Don't do anything stupid while I'm not there to stop you!" He muttered heatedly as he hastily slid on his boots. 

Nico walked as quickly as possible, without looking frantic, towards the Poseidon cabin. It was eerily quiet. Cautiously, Nico stopped outside the door, and knocked it. 

"Percy? Perce? You there?" Nico asked, his worry growing by the second as Percy didn't answer. The worry built into a mounting panic. 

"I'm coming in Percy!" He yelled before almost slamming the door open.

It was empty. Nico felt his heart in his throat and proceeded to quickly scour the room, looking for any sign of the disappeared camper. Finally back at the door, Nico had only one thing to say. 

"Fuck."

-0-

Percy awakened, slightly groggy.

"Urgh... I feel like I was just thrown into a wall by a Cyclops," he complained, rubbing his forehead in an attempt to rid the throbbing. 

"Percy Jackson, Son of Poseidon, Defeater of Ares, Slayer of Kronos, Hero of Olympus; does anyone here doubt his accomplishments?" An eerie feminine voice spoke out. 

Percy furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. This wasn't mentioned by his paternal grandfather. What the hell was going on?

Noises of assent could be heard throughout what could only be described as a throne room. Silhouettes and shadows of people were seated on the thrones surrounding the clearing Percy found himself in. The only spot of light was shining on the son of Poseidon, and even that was dim. 

Percy looked around, eyes wide with surprise. 

"Wha-" He moved to ask but was cut off by the same voice from earlier. 

"Percy Jackson. You have accepted the offer from Chaos. Do you deny?"

All that just for this? Forget it! He should've just stayed home! 

"Er... No?" The Son of Poseidon squeaked. This was_ so _not what he signed up for. 

"Tell us, what is it that drives you to accept the offer you rejected two years ago?" She- Percy assumed it was a she- said. Red, glowing eyes could be seen from the direction the voice was coming from. 

Percy straightened up. He had to get in so that he could grow stronger, to protect his loved ones. He couldn't fail now. 

"I want to grow stronger, to be able to protect my family and friends." The black-haired teen said with as much conviction as he could. Sincerity shone from his eyes, and the goddess nodded in what Percy assumed was satisfaction.

A sudden flurry of voices started up, a heated discussion forming.

"Just like that? You're going to accept him just like that? What about the tests? What about –"

"Enough. He came on Chao's recommendation, or have you forgotten that? Are _you_ trying to say that Chaos was wrong?"

The being gulped, quite audibly if Percy might add.

A sigh, then she cleared her throat. 

"You, Percy Jackson, are worthy. Welcome, to the Universals." The voice said. 

A slight movement could be seen and Percy could just make out a silhouette with angry, purple eyes. Was this the guy that had protested against him before? 

When Percy finally looked up and gathered the courage to ask what the silhouette was, surprise flittered through the room, and the purple eyes he had been staring at widened. 

"He can see? Through the cloaking?" A surprised, masculine voice asked. 

Similar statements were also voiced. Was it so surprising?

"He lies! He cannot see!" The one with purple eyes had screamed judging from the direction the sound was coming from.

"Excuse me! _I_ didn't lie. Now shut the hell up you asshole!" 

Stunned silence followed his outburst, and laughter followed. 

"I like this kid. He's hilarious!" A young, definitely male voice said. Yellow peeked out from where the guy was sitting.

The discussion started anew, this time with all of them arguing about his manners. 

Percy sighed and decided that this was getting nowhere. With nothing else to do, he plopped down onto the floor, sitting cross-legged. 

The voices continued. 

'This is going to be a long time...'


	2. Chapter 2

A/N:

I was sick and tired of how authors bash characters for the sake of the story. Because Annabeth was never that much of a bitch and the campers love Percy. Plus, his mom would never kick him out, even with a baby on the way.

In regards to the timeline here, the first Chapter was post Titan War. The Gaia War is pushed back by five years, meaning that the main foe is Gaia. Yeah. Enjoy~

For Protection C02:

It took five years, five years until Percy Jackson returned home from training under Chaos. And when he did go back, tired and sore from training, another crisis arose, in the form of Gaia, who was stirring.

-0-

5 years ago, September 2nd, Camp Half-Blood:

'Where is he?" Annabeth yelled hysterically at the Son of Hades. Logically, she knew that she shouldn't take her temper out on her friend, but her emotions were getting the better of her. Ever since Nico had found Percy's cabin ransacked and empty, but with no signs of struggle, of both said teen and his belongings, she had assembled all the demigods to go search for him.

Dark, worried eyes looked at her under his fringe. "We'll find him, I promise."

Annabeth gnawed on her bottom lip, a habit she could never get rid of. All she could think about was that it was her fault Percy had left. Maybe, if she hadn't broken up with him, he would still be here. Of course, even she wasn't arrogant enough to say that it was entirely her fault. The death of his family most likely played the greatest part in his leaving but maybe if she had stayed with him, he wouldn't have left her.

A part of her had felt guilty, had felt responsible for Percy leaving; the other part could only feel relief. She didn't have to confront him about the breakup, didn't have to suffer through the awkwardness that was sure to come. And then, the guilt would come again, guilt for even thinking this way.

"– nnabeth! Annabeth!"

Malcom's voice reverberated through camp to her, jolting her out of her thoughts. Grey eyes blinked owlishly for a fraction of a second before sharpening as Annabeth turned her head towards her half-brother.

"What is it?" she asked, making sure to conceal the tinge of irritation that spiked up at the distraction.

Malcolm nervously scratched his chin, grey eyes stormy. "Uhh… Sorry to interrupt you, buy Mother has demanded that you go back to designing Olympus. She says that you shouldn't spend all your time pining for a, and I quote 'stupid sea spawn'."

The spike of irritation gave way to a large one. Her mother never understood, much less approved of, her fascination with the Son of Poseidon. Percy just had that certain charm that drew her in, made her think she had loved him, but she realised it was only as the younger brother she had always wanted – her two actual younger brothers were hell spawns Annabeth swears.

-0-

Five Years Ago, October 20th, Somewhere in Singapore:

Nico cursed. Another dead end. Of course, the world was huge, and Percy could've hidden in so many places, but the ones that Nico had checked, hundreds of them, held no trace of the Son of Poseidon.

_A clue, one clue! That's all I ask for._

Because Nico is still in love with Percy, had only grown to love him more in his absence, and he would never give up on someone he loves, not again.

-0-

Current, September 2nd, Manhattan:

_Ahh…_, Percy thought, _it's good to be back home._ He'd travelled down to Earth, Mother Gaia; right after his training was complete. As he stood atop the Empire State Building, below Olympus, he could glimpse the people scurrying down below, as small as ants to him.

At twenty-two years old, Percy had finally returned home, with the same black hair, green eyes and the orange Camp Half-Blood T-shirt though the words were a little worn. With a smile, he spread his arms as if they were wings, delighting in the breeze that gently caressed his skin.

And then he jumped off, and disappeared from view. No one in Manhattan noticed anything.

-0-

September 2nd, Outside of Camp Half-Blood's borders:

As Percy stood atop the hill and gazed over the place he'd once called his (second) home, his eyes misted over, and memories surged forward. The blond hair that he'd grown fond of, grey eyes he had loved. Of course, after five years, he'd gotten over the blond, but a small part of him still carried some lingering feelings. They would never be ignited again – it was too late for that – but they could still be best friends.

After such a long time, Percy finally felt that he was ready to go and mend the broken relationship between Annabeth and himself; as friends only of course.

As the Son of Poseidon strolled through the barriers, a grin on his face as he walked through familiar pathways, he had finally encountered another person, a boy who looked just like him, except… he was fifteen years old.

_Was that…?_

"Hey, new demigod? Where's your satyr?" His lookalike asked, arms crossed over his chest. It did not escape Percy's notice that his whole body was tense and ready to fight or flee in case he, Percy, turned out to be an enemy.

In the five years that Percy had trained, the one thing he did learn, painfully, was that strangers were not to be trusted, and the best way to get them to back off was to ignore them. When he found Annabeth or Nico, then he would consider even communicating with people he didn't know.

A traitorous part of his mind whispered that in such a long time, Annabeth and Nico might have become strangers as well. Percy kindly told it to shut the Hades up.

So in accordance to his instincts, the Son of Poseidon had just ignored the boy trying to speak to him and continued on his way, eyes darting, scrutinising, across Camp in search of the blonde or the Son of Hades.

Before he could go more than a few steps, he found the same boy glaring at him, blocking his way, bronze blade pointed threateningly at his neck.

"We are at war here stranger, and I'd appreciate it if you'd tell me who you are and your purpose here. Judging from your familiarity with the place, I'd say you're not new here. However, I've been here for a year, and I have never seen you before. So you'd better tell me who you are or I'll sound an alarm and you'll be surrounded by every able-bodied demigod with no chance of escape. So who are you? Are you one of the remnants of Kronos's forces?"

The boy's green – more emerald than sea green – eyes were narrowed and drilling holes upon holes into his body. If Percy was anyone less, he probably would've cowered before the boy.

Seeing that yes, he had to answer if he didn't want to attack the demigods, Percy sighed. Well, it seems like he did have to talk to strangers after all.

"My name," and he paused here for dramatic effect, "is Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon."

As quick as lightning – Zeus's son? – the other boy grabbed his wrist and dragged him along into camp, shouting for Chiron, Annabeth and Nico to 'get their goddamn butts to the Big House ASAP'.

And Percy, after he resisted his first instinct to throw the boy onto the ground, could only smile helplessly as he was pulled along. Well, at least he would see his friends again very soon.


End file.
